So a couple of months ago my daughter got pushed on the playground by a kid that was almost 4. The kid was running and just randomly went up to my then 21 month old and pushed her. My kid is chill and wasn’t hurt / it happened so fast that I didn’t really have time to react. Next thing I know her mom goes running from the other side of the playground with her sibling to immediately parent her and apologized to us. No harm, no foul ya know. I’m pretty chill with kids at the playground and kids learn through play and socializing no biggie.

Today a kid pushed my child on the playground, both of them were on a play structure.It happened once and I kept my eye on it because I wasn’t sure if it was an accident, and then this kid was trying to grab onto my daughter to push her while my daughter was climbing down the stairs (she wasn’t blocking anyone) I was like “hey, no pushing” (which I didn’t use a harsh tone) The kid was shocked another parent said anything and mumbled something I couldn’t understand (still no parent to be seen) - I told her that she needs to be careful with smaller kids than her. She said “ One day she’ll be bigger than me and then push” - which I said “she’s not even two” (this kid was 2.5) all of this happened and the mom was nowhere to be around. Just about the entire time we were there she had her nose in her phone. Meanwhile, her kid is pushing smaller kids on raised surfaces.

Overall, I’m a pretty chill parent when it comes to the playground. As long as no one gets hurt, it’s not a big deal. But today it freakin pissed me off that this toddler’s parent had their nose in their phone for just about the whole time we were at the playground. That’s my vent

Our surname is the name of a tree, so for example my toddler is called Jack Birch. We've been teaching him to identify trees because he kept asking and he can definitely identify a birch tree along with a few others. Sometimes he hears us using our full names say on the phone or when we've booked a restaurant, so he definitely knows "Birch" is our family name. He's even called me Mama Birch before.

Well today he was asked what his name was by a friend of mine, and he replied, "I'm Jack Appletree!" I laughed and corrected him, "You mean, Jack Birch." And he goes, "No, no like Birch...I'm Appletree, Mama is Mama Appletree."

Love this confident toddler energy 😂

Currently have a 2.5yo and we’re struggling with “me” and “you” words. It feels impossible to explain to her because “me” and “you” for me is different to “me” and “you” for her. I know she will get it one day but it just never occurred to me that this would be a difficult part of language!

I love the little isms she comes out with. Whenever her dad mows the grass she says he’s “picking the grass” because her frame of reference is from picking flowers. She says “where’s my shoes-on?” because I always say “let’s put our shoes on”.

Adorable and fascinating.

I miss it already. He still says "paterpillar" and "lellow" at least. He also refers to anything in the past as "yesterday", even the time before his nap.

Give me your cute mispronucuations and misunderstandings.

I have a 2 and a half year old and 15 month old. Lately, my younger kiddo wakes up early, and my oldest is having sleep issues and is up late. I've tried to get them on the same schedule, but I can't. I have no time in a day where they are both asleep.

Both of them are too mischievous to leave alone for long enough to get any kind of meaningful showering done, and bringing them into the shower would be a serious hassle, as they are obsessed with pumping out my shampoo and conditioner (which aren't the cheapest, and we're on a tight budget.) If I put them up high, they will climb. (My oldest is 98th percentile for height, so put her on something 2' off the ground, and our reach is about the same.) The shower is also small, and I don't have the energy to chase a wet, naked toddler through the house at 2am when she inevitably jumps out. (The tub is also not big enough for me to bathe with them.)

I do shower while they are at their dad's, but that's 2 consecutive days a week, and with my hair type, it's not great to shower two days in a row like that. (Typically I shower one night and take a bath the next while they're gone. At most, I shower both nights but only wash my hair once.)

Usually I can find time at least once a week during the time I have them, but the past few weeks, I haven't been able to. I'm losing my mind with it being July and only getting one shower a week. My typical support system/village is all either sick or busy. I feel so tired and so gross, and I don't know what to do.

My son is 21 months. I’m losing my fucking mind with him. He’s very very active and constantly getting into everything. I know that’s normal but holy shit I’m tired. I’m 20 weeks pregnant with my second and it’s a rough pregnancy. He’s up at like 5:30am every morning and it’s just chaos. He doesn’t really play with his toys. He throws them, kicks them, makes a mess. Then he’s climbing on me, biting me, pinching me. All. Fucking. Day. I try to take him outside but I have POTs and I have a really hard time with summer heat/sun.

I include him in the things I do but that’s only good for a little while. I can’t do anything in the kitchen with him. I got one of the toddler towers and all he does is use it as a ladder to climb on the counter. He’ll watch tv for like 15-30 minutes at a time when he’s kind of tired. He won’t really read any books, or do puzzles, and coloring can’t happen because he colors on the walls and furniture. I’m scared of winter coming and having a newborn in December 😭

He still naps 12-1:30/2 and bedtime has been at 8pm but we are trying pushing it to 8:30/9pm because he’ll sleep until 6/6:30am then and that’s a little better for me.

Dad of a 3 year old daughter (and a 1 yo boy) here. MIL is great and the only contributing family member, even though she lives 2000+ miles away in a different country, Canada.

I’ve noticed last time they were here she guilts my daughter in hugging her. She says “why do you want to make grandma sad?” And the like. My father in law does the same routine but does very little of actually being a grandpa. 6 months ago he kissed my son on the lips and I was pretty unreasonable about it. Call me a protective dad?

This morning I sat my daughter down and told her that it’s her choice, even to me. Of course, she proceeded to want hugs and kisses. But I then role played with “ok, now I’m going to ask you and I want you to tell me no.” She did great and I think it’s a good practice. I’m going to take to my in laws, and I’m sure they’re respect it.

Any other parents get this challenge?

I have finally found a safe food for my 2 year old who loves to keep me on my toes.

I can’t complain, two birds one stone.

He cried and ran away. Whoops 😬

So my daughter has started this habit of throwing herself to the floor and screeching if she is told no or if she is asked to leave the kitchen for example due to us cooking and not wanting her to reach up and touch anything hot. I have tried to show her how to take deep breaths but she doesn’t care. If she hears anything remotely close to no or something she doesn’t like she throws herself to the floor and screeches or yells no and cries.

My dad wasn’t the best raising me and my siblings so generation trauma is something I’m trying to end with me. I don’t want to spank her or hit her because I know that she’s mainly upset because she just doesn’t truly understand why she can’t do something or can’t be in a room or etc. I do my best to explain to her, I’ve explained that when we are in the kitchen cooking that the pans are hot and it’s dangerous (she’s also burned her finger once on a sandwich press when she reached up on the counter) and she understands what hot is because when we give her warm food she’ll touch it and say hot and blow on it.

I’m just at a loss on what to do, I want to respectfully gentle parent her without spanking her like my dad immediately tells me to do. But I also don’t want to gentle parent her where she continues this behavior thinking it’s ok. She normally isn’t like this much she listens well otherwise but if she’s told no she loses it.

Any advice would be great!

Sorry if this is long, Just looking for solidarity or kindness I guess.

My newly 15 month old has already got a reputation for being “chaotic” at the groups we go to during the week… and I don’t know if it’s something I should be concerned about??

We go to a library event called wriggle and rhyme, it’s basically just songs and dancing for 0-2yr olds. Every single other kid sits there in the circle with their adult, but mine gets up and dances, wanders around to smile at the other children, wanders off to look at the bathroom door (nearby), wanders off to look at the trash can etc etc

Even before the thing starts, all the kids arrive and play with puzzles, drawing, read books with their adult. Mine is the one motoring around from place to place, inside then outside then back in, never being still.

Basically it’s very noticeable that he’s not participating. I thought it was just me, maybe I was overreacting since he’s my kid and I notice him more than anyone else BUT last week we arrived and the host lady said “oh, here’s my little chaotic friend..” in a not very positive tone ☹️

Today at baby gym, everyone else participated in the set obstacle course. But my son was wandering around the rest of the gym trying all the other equipment, noticing things he can say (sign, fan, trash). I couldn’t help but notice nobody else was on the outskirts!

At the playground, he plays for a while but then spends longer exploring the environment around the equipment (garden, barbecue area, opening and closing the gate, toilet blocks). Someone commented like “all this playground and you choose to be here!”

He’s sociable, LOVES meeting other kids and interacting with them, copies gestures makes eye contact and etc etc so I’m not writing this thinking he has autism.

But why is he always the only one? To the point people are commenting on it…? Please let me know I’m not actually alone!! It sure feels it!

Mine is using a piece of watermelon to “wash” her face. She is completely covered in juice now lol

This child since 18 months needs her princess shoes and family members love that so they buy her either gigantic ones or the plastic heels. She runs around asking for them after waking up. We’ll try to put them out of sight but that only works for so long. We are worried her feet are going to gat all messed up wearing heels at 2 years old.

Any shoes your princesses or princes love for dress up that won’t mess up their feet?

Please tell me this is normal because I'm just puzzled and slightly in awe. Our 16 month old has pooped SEVEN times today. Prior to today it was normal to have a couple a day but then randomly today it's been nonstop. He's eating and drinking and acting normal and all of them have been solid except one which one a bit more liquid but not diarrhea.

Hello any fellow WFH parents, I would love your help and advice.

I've been working from home in a separate office space since shortly after my 2.5 year old was born. But it's gotten more and more challenging in recent months. She now knows exactly where I am and is often very upset that I'm not available. She'll stand at the door crying persistently, and sometimes even be able to get the door open.

I know I'm the problem - I vacillate between coming out to comfort her when she sounds legitimately upset and doing my best to let the person in charge (nanny or grandparent) handle it. I've tried to explain why Mama has to be in her office and can't play right now, and this can calm her down, but then she just comes back in an hour. The only thing that seems to work is getting her out of the house.

What do you do?? Should I just hide from my child all day? How can I reset to make this a functional work situation? Or should I just throw in the towel and spend $$ on an office space?

Hi! We are freshly two and our son is very interested in the potty. He’s been telling me when he’s pooped for a long time. We have a trip coming soon where he will stay with grandparents so I don’t want to put that pressure on grandparents, so I feel like my options are either to potty train after our trip (30 weeks pregnant for me) or wait until baby comes. He came early so I wonder if baby sister will too, so I would say maybe 7-8 weeks before baby is here after we’re home? Is that too little time to try to get established? Will baby #2 just cause a big regression? Or will potty training with a newborn be too much to juggle as my husband is at works 50-60 hours weeks and is gone most of the day. Thanks!

I’m thinking about moving my almost one year old child to his room soon. How was your experience?

I recently had early intervention evaluate my 23mo for her speech. She is speech delayed but not quite enough for services, specifically the way she is pronouncing things. Ex: saying “bun bun” instead of bunny or “ca” instead of car. They recommend using a mirror to practice her pronunciation. Does anyone have any recommendations of any other techniques that are successful or any other things I can try? I’m a sahm and we don’t do screens besides a family movie every Friday so we have all the time to work on this! TIA!

Toddlers love watching the same thing over and over again. The same movie, the same episode, the same song.

But I think my son may have perfected the art.

He only wants to watch the first half of the Mater’s Tall Tales episode where Mater becomes a fire truck. Not the whole episode. Just the first half.

Then I have to rewind it.

Again.

And again.

And again.

If I miss the rewind window or let it keep playing, he screams like I have personally canceled the entire Cars franchise.

It is exactly one minute long.

That is not even enough time for me to go pee.

I am slowly losing my mind.

Dad gum.

My son is 2.5, almost 3, and he has a speech delay and is currently in speech therapy. Recently we were on a trip with family, and his cousin (almost 2) was there as well. My son isn’t around other kids often, but recently he has shown an INTENSE interest in other children, calling them “babies.”
When he saw his cousin, he was immediately entranced. He was constantly calling him “baby,” saying “hi baby” over and over, and overall just wanting to be right next to him at all times. He was constantly trying to give him hugs and kisses and be involved with whatever his cousin was doing.
I did intervene when he got overly touchy and repeatedly told him things like, “He doesn’t like that, let’s keep our hands to ourselves,” and then moved him away. He would maybe stay away for a short period, but then he would go right back over. I consistently redirected him and repeated the same message.
It became stressful because he wasn’t respecting his cousin’s space, and his cousin would end up hitting him, shoving him, or pushing him away. Even with that happening, my son was not phased at all. He would actually burst out laughing every time his cousin did something like that. It almost seemed like he laughed at everything his cousin did because he was just so excited to interact with him.
I know some of this may be related to his speech delay because he doesn’t always have the words to express what he wants to say or how he wants to connect with other kids. I’ve started getting him books about personal space and boundaries, but I’m wondering what else I can do to help him understand social cues and respect other kids’ space.
It’s honestly stressful taking him around other children because I worry other parents will get upset or think he’s being rude, when he truly seems like he’s just extremely excited and loving toward other kids. Does anyone have advice for helping a toddler with a speech delay learn appropriate ways to interact with peers?

I would also like to add my son was born very prematurely (26 weeks) so I don’t know if that plays a role as well.

So my 19 month old is a pretty good sleeper. Goes down pretty easy at night with his bedtime being around 8pm. Some nights he gets a bath (which recently he has started to hate and cries to get out right away) and other night he doesn’t. Generally it’s go to his room put pjs on have a bottle of milk and then fall asleep in my arms before I move him to his crib. Then from there he sleeps until about 6am or 7am. Recently though ranging at either 4am to 5am he’s had a full blown crying fitting. I go in pick him up rock him and calm. Let him chill on me for a few minutes then get him back into his crib to sleep. Sometimes he sleeps another hour or sometimes it’s shorter and only like 30 minutes. I’m just curious if other parents have had this problem. My wife and I are expecting our 2nd baby in September and I worry if this continues while we’re back in the newborn trenches we’re already gonna be exhausted and be at our wits ends. Is this just normal regression? I always assume it’ll pass as most things do but just curious for some feedback.

My daughter turns 2 next week. For a few months now she’s been pretty good at telling me after she poops that she needs a new diaper. Over the last few weeks, she’s been doing the same with peeing. So clearly she recognizes when she goes. I just don’t know if she knows when she has to go before it happens.

She’s open to sitting on the potty occasionally. If I’m in the bathroom she’ll run in and sit on her potty pretending to go. A handful of times she’s asked me to help her sit on the toilet and will let me take her diaper off. But I haven’t gotten to the point where she’s actually going to the bathroom.

I feel like this is her way of telling us she’s ready but I genuinely have no idea where to start. She’s in daycare full time right now so we’d have to start in a Friday night or wait for a Friday holiday.

I’ve tried researching but got easily overwhelmed by everything out there. I’m happy to do the research myself if anyone can just point me in the right direction with tips or strategies that work

Help deciding please! the 2 options are:

Day time flight / 12:30pm SFO -> 5pm TWE - can check in to hotel right away and sleep, BUT have to entertain her for ~7 waking hours on the plane...

Red eye flight / 12:50am SFO -> 5am TWE - she typically sleeps late anyway around 10pm so leaving at 1am shouldnt cause too many disruptions, benefit would be to hopefully sleep for most of the flight. drawback is we arrive in taiwan at 5am and the thought of roaming around without hotel check in available until 3pm sounds miserable too

My son is 2.5 (3 in September). Within the last couple of weeks he has become scared of EVERYTHING. Idk what triggered it. He hasn't seen anything scary, heard anything scary, nothing out of the ordinary. He's scared of the houseflies, he's scared of lettuce, he's scared of the cracks in the vinyl on my tshirt, he got scared when his fingers turned pruney in the bath two days ago. He has never, not one time in his life, been scared of anything except fireworks. He's also been throwing tantrums and has become inconsolable during them. In the past we can calm him down, but now he just screams bloody murder over and over and I'm at a loss. Today he's decided he won't open his hands. He's had his fists clenched all day and won't open them other than when he's eating. He screams when we ask to see them or try to open them but I've looked three or four times and nothing is wrong. He keeps asking for bandaids, but theres literally nothing there. He's also been obsessed with bandaids lately. He asks for one probably every hour. I don't know what to do. Is this just toddler behavior? Is he being crazy? Does anyone have any insight? I'm probably going to take him to the pediatrician in the morning but I'm so concerned. He's never been erratic. He's not acting sick. He's not feverish. I'm just at a loss.